MangaPlaza made a strong impression at Anime Expo 2026, welcoming Boys’ Love (BL), Girls’ Love (GL), and romance manga fans with an interactive panel and an activity-filled booth throughout the four-day convention. The digital manga platform transformed its presence into a celebration of fan-favorite relationship tropes, popular manga series, and community engagement, drawing readers eager to discuss the stories they love.
Hosted by Daniel Dueñas and Laura Neuzeth, the “Explore Your Passions” panel encouraged attendees to actively participate rather than simply watch. Fans shared their favorite romance tropes, voted for the genre’s biggest crowd-pleasers, tested their manga knowledge through quizzes, and walked away with exclusive prizes.
Meanwhile, MangaPlaza’s exhibition booth remained a popular destination as several featured titles sold out and visitors lined up to experience attractions inspired by current and upcoming anime adaptations.
Romance Tropes Took Center Stage During the Interactive Panel
Rather than focusing solely on announcements, MangaPlaza’s panel invited attendees to shape the conversation by sharing the romance tropes they enjoy most. Popular responses included enemies-to-lovers, friends-to-lovers, one bed, and office romance, with each trope paired with manga recommendations available on the platform.
Featured series included Keeping You in Sight, Plus-Sized Misadventures in Love, I Don’t Need This Ring Anymore, Satan on Parental Leave and His Fake Hero, Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko, The Consultant Amalthea and Her Marriage, After Giving Up on Our Relationship and Distancing Myself, My Salty Fiancé Began to Pester Me, and The Wicked Woman of High Society: The Charming Marquis’s Son Broke My Arm, So I’m Making Him Take Responsibility.
The audience later voted on their favorite trope through applause, with enemies-to-lovers emerging as the clear winner. Reacting to the result, Daniel jokingly remarked that it showed “the audience is a healthy bunch and is obviously great at communicating.”
The session also featured a manga dialogue quiz, where attendees competed to identify the next line from selected manga panels. The event concluded with giveaways, including two colored prints featuring original artwork from The Ogre’s Bride. Encouraging fans to discover the series, Daniel said,
“If you need to feel again, you need to read The Ogre’s Bride.”
Every attendee also received a 100-point MangaPlaza coupon to use on the platform.
MangaPlaza Booth Drew Crowds Throughout Anime Expo
Outside the panel room, MangaPlaza’s booth attracted a steady stream of visitors over the Anime Expo weekend. Fans stopped by The Ogre’s Bride photo spot celebrating the anime’s release, while others explored the platform’s catalog at the dedicated reading corner.
Several physical manga volumes proved especially popular. The Seduction of the Deep Sleeper became the first title to sell out after attendees purchased the complete three-volume set. Kurosaki Wants Me All to Himself ~The Intense Sweetness of First Love~ also sold out during the convention, while Dinners with My Darling: How the Former Monster King Ate Her Way to Happiness was nearly exhausted before the event concluded.
MangaPlaza also spotlighted its original title Pardon the Intrusion, I’m Home! (Full Color), which recently received an anime adaptation. A teaser shown at the booth generated positive reactions from attendees and helped draw additional interest to both the series and the platform.
Celebrating its fourth anniversary this year, MangaPlaza continues expanding its catalog of BL, GL, and romance manga for North American readers, with its Anime Expo 2026 activities highlighting the growing enthusiasm surrounding these genres.
